Healthy School Lunch Ideas

I pack at least 10 healthy lunches a week for my crew.  

Sometimes that total is more if I add in lunches for me, Kevin and Leo.  I try hard to make sure the big kids have healthy, colorful lunches with lots of variety.  I love knowing they'll get a big HUG FROM HOME in the middle of their school days.

I always pack lunches in the evening.  Oftentimes right after I get the kitchen cleaned up after dinner and Kevin's helping out with the kids.  I find that I do best when I pair the task of packing lunches with a time that I'm already in the kitchen.  Get dinner cleaned up and pack lunches.  Then you can be done with food for the night.  When I'd wait to make lunches until after the kids went to bed, I did not look forward to that task.

Here are some favorites from the past couple of months:

You can also search #polkadottyplaceyumbox on instagram for tons of lunch box inspiration. 

We tried some new pretzels, new cheeses and got excited any time we found good berries.

I love to do shaped sandwich cut outs for holidays.

Hawaiian rolls are a yummy lunch option.  My kids like to build their own sandwiches at lunch time.  I slice the Hawaiian roll in half and then put meats/cheeses in the next compartment.

I like to include a mix of salty things - Veggie Straws, pistachios and Wheat Thins.

My kids love plain cold pasta and this Cavatappi shape is a favorite.  Along with dark chocolate covered almonds.

We did some salads and they worked great.  I put the dressing on the side with a spoon to drizzle it over the salad at lunch time.

Have you tried these Pub Style pretzels from Aldi?  They're so good and so inexpensive compared to other seasoned pretzels options.

Big Cheetos have been a hit lately.  As well as a mix of fruit and Aldi Wheat Thins.  They're just $1 a box are my crew likes them more than the name brand Wheat Thins.

I've mentioned these Dollar Tree lunch box notes many times.  Here are a few recent favorites.  My kids love them.  I write on the slicky ones with a sharpie and the others that are the texture of a note pad work great with pens and markers.

When is the last time that you washed lunchboxes??

I made sure to do this over spring break.  I sprayed this Shout spray on them and they washed perfectly!  Another reason why I love this Pottery Barn Kids lunchboxes.  The quality is amazing and they go on big sales throughout the year.

What do your kids like to take in their lunch boxes?